


The Chance to Right a Wrong

by Avianbabble



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: A lil bit of snarky Mermista because I needed it in my life, Adora and Catra are VERY in love, Catra faces her portal mistakes and its consequences, Ding dong the witch is dead, Entrapta talks about space, F/F, Fighting those demons, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Glimmer and Catra are friends, Glimmer and Catra talk about moms, Glimmer is also glad Shadow Weaver is dead, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Oh Hordak's in it too, POV Catra (She-Ra), Past Child Abuse, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Scorpia is cute, Seriously I forgot how much angst is in this thing., Shadow Weaver died a bitch, She's trying real hard to be a better person, So is Bow, Therapy Cat Melog (She-Ra), oh yeah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26437246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avianbabble/pseuds/Avianbabble
Summary: The people of Etheria fought to save their home, and they won. The parties last for days. Catra and Adora have easily slipped back into each others lives. Catra is committed to making a new life and being the person her friends believe she can be. It's hard to face the past, but she isn't alone. Adora struggles to shake her need to protect everyone around her. She promised Angella she'd take care of everyone, after all.Angella's sacrifice might not have to be permanent though. The secrets of Horde Prime's ship might just help them reunite the family Micah never got to have. It's a big universe out there. Etheria is a little fish in a BIG pond.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Angella/Micah (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	The Chance to Right a Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> The google folder for this fic is called "She Ra: Season 6- cuz gay denial" because I'm gay and I said no, the story it NOT over. I've never actually written fic before, but I wrote the chapter I wanted to read. I kinda dig it. 
> 
> I had feelings about moms. Glimmer and Catra are too alike not to be friends. 
> 
> Adora wears a sports bra with a fancy dress, like she would, so that's fun.
> 
> OH see if you can find the quote I stole from ATLA cause I couldn't not.
> 
> I have half a second chapter from Adora's perspective, but I got kinda discouraged. If you like this, ask nicely and I'll have no choice but to finish it.
> 
> Beta'd in part by @bluntperceptions on tumblr.

Freed from Horde Prime's control, the people of Etheria fought to save their home. And they won. Even those who didn't witness She Ra cast the dark shadow of Horde Prime from the universe could feel their victory as their world lit up with magic long forgotten. 

Adora, Catra, Glimmer, and Bow hold each other for what seems like eternity, laughing. Then crying.

"Oh god, I was so scared! I thought we were goners for sure!" Bow says.

Glimmer shakes Adora's shoulder, "How dare you leave me and Bow behind"

"I'm sorry!"

"Yeah, Adora." Bow's lip twist with sadness "Thanks for saving the universe and all, but that was very not cool." Bow's voice cracks through the last words. 

Adora is apologetic. "I'm sorry, guys. But I learned my lesson. Apparently, self sacrifice is NOT the way to save everyone..." Adora meets Catra's mismatched eyes. She has been silent, just watching Adora's face, and the way the light dances off it, "love is."

Catra flushes, and her lips twist around a smile she can't hold back. Adora firmly takes Catra's hand in hers. She shoves at Adora's shoulder and Glimmer giggles. 

"Ohhhh, so this is really a thing now? Took you guys long enough," she says. Bow nods behind her, knowingly. 

Catra barely hears them, and is too wrapped up in Adora to care. Glimmer rolls her eyes and pulls Bow - and his heart eyes - away. "Come on, now that the world isn't ending, we have plenty to do." Bow walks backwards, grinning at them, and Glimmer gives an exaggerated wink as they slink off, making encouraging hand gestures. 

Catra pulls her eyes from Adora's to watch them leave, and snorts. "Took 'em long enough to get the hint."

Her words cut off. Adora is looking at Catra like she's everything she has ever wanted. That has to be wrong. Catra thinks. It's the other way around. But her lips still tingle from their kiss, barely an hour before. Did I really kiss her? Oh god, what was I thinking!

But Adora cups Catra's face in her palms. Gingerly, as if she were the most priceless thing in the universe, as if to move too suddenly would scare her away. Catra’s heart melts and her eyes drop to Adora's lips. I want to kiss her again. And then those lips are on hers, and it is everything Catra ever dreamed of. More, because it's real. 

Catra tastes salt, feels Adora's slick tears against her own cheeks. She breaks the kiss (she has a sneaking suspicion there will be more) and clutches Adora's tall frame tight against her. "Hey, we're safe now. You did it."

"No," Adora's voice is muffled and wet against Catra's neck. "You did it. You saved me. I - I - Oh god, Catra. I'm sorry for everything. Thank you for coming back." She sobs into Catra's neck. At first, Adora's hiccuping sobs scare her. But they've just been through the wringer, both of them. She just pulls her claws through Adora's ponytail, and holds her close.

"Hey," Catra whispers into Adora's ear. "You saved me first. Now we're even." She smirks. "But I don't mind if you want to spend the rest of your miserable life making it up to me, idiot."

It works. Adora laughs and shoves at her hip, but doesn't let go. She sighs, her breath tickling Catra's neck and making her heart bob in her chest, then she pulls away and meets Catra's eyes. 

"Let's go home. Take me home"

The rubble clears. The dust settles. There is much to be done. Whole kingdoms and ways of life to rebuild. Not to mention a whole new universe to explore. But fresh peace after decades of war must be savored. They return home to Brightmoon and the parties last long into the night. Adora is so excited to show Catra a real party, and Catra doesn't have the heart to tell her she's been to one or two before in the Crimson Waste. Besides, those were nothing compared to this. The music, the dancing, the food. It's almost too much. Catra has never been in a place so bright. It hurts her eyes. But dancing with Adora. Really dancing with her. Not fighting, not pretending or holding back, is better than anything in the universe. Catra loves to make Adora laugh, can't get enough of the sound of it. Can't get enough of kissing her, of looking into her bright silver blue eyes, of teasing her until she's red in the face. Catra doesn't even mind being a lovesick fool, she will be Adora's fool any day.

"Come on!" Adora tries to pull Catra onto the dance floor with her again, but her feet hurt too much to move another step. Her days old bruises from the battle still ache, unlike Adora who was healed the moment she turned into She Ra. 

"No- Adora! Not all of us have endless energy like you. Make Scorpia dance with you instead." Adora pouts her way.

"Did someone say... Swift Wind!" Adora's magical horse thing, Catra will never get used to this, rears into view and sweeps Adora off her feet and on to his back while she laughs, then wooshes up into the air, singing as he does. Catra would be jealous if, you know, he wasn't a giant talking horse. Instead she seizes the opportunity to fall backwards into a chair and drink in the room. 

It is very late, and between the high domed ceilings of the ballroom, and the rainbow horse loop the looping between the chandeliers, Catra's tired head is spinning. The floor around her is full of people. Full of friends. 

Friends. I have friends now. Catra chuckles incredulously and tips her chair back as the purr begins to rumble in her chest. She can't stop purring these days. 

She picks out Scorpia in the crowd, who wouldn't have been about to dance with Adora anyway, as she and Perfuma are sweeping the room together, looking giddy and gazing into each other's eyes. Catra is happy she's happy. Bow is dozing on a bench in the corner, a half full plate still in his lap and an unconscious Frosta in the crook of his arm, looking for all the world as though she'd dropped mid punch, ice melting from her hands. Catra likes that kid, but she'll never say. 

The water princess, Mermista, is watching in horror as her adventure boy toy leaps around the room, describing his daring rescue of her. Catra hasn't known this man for long, but suspects this story is greatly exaggerated. Netossa and Spinerella have long since gone to bed. And Entrapta and Hordack sit at a table in the corner together, whispering and pointing at all the party goers. Another "social experiment?" or maybe Entrapta is just filling Hordak in on everyone in the room. It's tough to be the new guy, Catra knows. 

As though he feels her gaze, Hordak looks up and meets her eyes. At first she is startled, but he nods in her direction, genial, if uncomfortable. They will get there. If nothing else, they can bond over their amazement at these people's capacity for forgiveness. Catra waves awkwardly. Yeah, this is all a lot to get used to.

"Up to something, Horde Scum?" Glimmer says as she appears and knees the back of Catra's chair, knocking it back on to four feet, narrowly missing her tail where it twitches on the floor and making Catra jump and squeak. 

Catra plays it cool, patting down the fritzed out hairs of her tail as Glimmer steals the seat beside her, "Oh, you know, Sparkles. World domination, blackmail, what kind of cake to try next. My usual tricks."

"That's 'Queen Sparkles' to you. And I recommend the fruit tart."

"I thought you stepped down from the throne now that big daddy Micah is back?"

"Eww Catra! Please don't call my dad that." Glimmer's nose wrinkles in disgust and she shudders. "Yes, I did relinquish ruling the kingdom to my dad. There's so much to be done. I can't stay here and sign papers all day. Plus, even after being gone for more than a decade he still has a better grasp on that stuff than I do."

"Probably less hot headed too," Catra points out, and Glimmer's purple pink eyebrows knit together as she glowers at her.

"Yes, thank you, Catra. Like you can talk?" She sighs and glances over Catra's shoulder. Catra doesn't need to look. She's already seen the mural of an impossibly tall woman, with a long purple pink curtain of hair and wings framed in gold.

"I already did the Quest of Queens. I am the queen of Brightmoon, no matter who's really pulling the strings." Catra's ears drop, she's never seen Glimmer look quite so sad. Angry? Yes. Determined? Yes. Hopeless? Unfortunately, yes. But never so heartachingly sad… and it's all her fault. 

Catra drops her eyes to Glimmer's hand resting on the table. She hesitates, but forces herself to reach out, to lay her hand over hers. Perfuma's voice rings in her ears, "vulnerable, but not weak." 

"Glimmer, I'm so, so sorry. I -" Her throat closes, but she pushes on, "I was so lost, and so hurt, and so scared. I just wanted it all to stop. I didn't - couldn't think of any consequences. I was blind."

Glimmer's hand turns under hers and grasps at her fingers, "I know, I forgave you a long time ago. I just - I just miss her so much, you know? I wish she could've seen this. I wish she could've seen Dad again."

Catra's heart still shudders with guilt and shame. She doesn't really believe she deserves to be forgiven, not after everything, especially not this. But Glimmer forgives her. Adora forgives her. The people in this room have all agreed to give her a second chance. And if these people, as dopey and sparkly as they all are, see something in her worth believing in, then it must be there. I am not that person anymore. I can choose to be the person they all think I can be.

Catra squeezes Glimmer's hand, then loosens her grip and trails the claw of her pointer finger over the stars and moons patterned tablecloth, careful not to rip it. She can't help it. She asks - 

"What was it like to have a real mom?"

Glimmer laughs ruefully, "Loud. Even when I was little most of our conversations were just yelling."

Catra's forehead creases, "is that... normal?"

"Yes. And no. My mom was always protective. And I was always stubborn. I was grounded more often than not. That means not allowed to leave the castle or see friends," Glimmer adds, seeing Catra's confused expression. "But I always snuck out. And she always forgave me."

Glimmer's eyes get a faraway look and she smiles down into her hands. "She used to sing to me everyday. She was a terrible cook, but she used to insist on making dinner for us once a week. It was always awful and I complained every time. We would go on trips together, to see the kingdom and to learn how to use my powers. We used to go to Mystacor every summer to see Aunt Casta, but we'd always have to leave early cause she and Mom would get into a huge fight about nothing." She laughs.

She meets Catra's wide eyes, "She was a very dedicated Queen. But she always, always made me her priority. I -"

Glimmer stops when Catra can't stifle the tears that roll down her cheeks, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Catra says forcefully, going to swipe them away. But Glimmer stops her hand and looks at her expectantly.

Catra's exhale is shaky. "...Shadow Weaver found me in a box of cargo from a decimated town. She - she wanted to throw me away, but Adora found me first and wouldn't let her. She tried, trust me. Put me on every transport headed far away from the Fright Zone she could, but everytime Adora would run away and find me before it left. Finally, she gave up. But she never, ever let me forget it."

Catra scowls, "she used to say Adora was born lucky, and I was lucky to be born. She'd tell us she had special projects for each of us. Take Adora for conditioning, and leave me outside to sort garbage. Tell me I couldn't come in until I stopped crying and started acting like a real cadet instead of the weak nuisance I was, then forget me outside anyway." 

Catra unscrews eyes she doesn't remember closing, returns from the memory to find she has shredded the tablecloth anyway, and left four deep grooves in the beautiful wooden table. Glimmer's face has a green tinge to it, like she's been sick to her stomach. It makes her wide violet eyes stand out strangely.

"H-how old were you?" She asks.

Catra looks away, and shrugs "maybe six or so. We don't have birthdays in the Fright Zone, Princess."

Catra realizes she is holding her breath, feels the tightness in her chest, and forces herself to breathe evenly, focusing on exhaling like Perfuma taught her after the fifth time she woke up in Adora's bed screaming and covered in sweat. In her dreams, Shadow Weaver sacrifices herself over and over, and Catra desperately claws at the magical barrier between them, screaming at Shadow Weaver to run. The worst ones are when she succeeds, when she shatters the barrier and pulls Shadow Weaver to safety; only when she turns to face Catra, she is furious, and Catra is a small child again, cowering under a table as Shadow Weaver's freshly poured glass of wine shatters at her feet, hurled across the room by dark magic. 

Whomp. Catra's breath is knocked out of her again and her chair falls to the floor as Glimmer slams against her. Melog materializes into existence on her lap, doubling the weight, "I felt your distress."

"You're...crushing...me..." Catra manages to squeak out. Melog shifts their weight off of her, but Glimmer just crushes her in an embrace tight enough to rival Scorpia. 

"You are NOT trash, Catra. You never have been and you deserved So. Much. Better." She punctuates each word with a squeeze and Catra wheezes, but doesn't push her away. Glimmer's arms might be the only thing holding her together right now. "I'm sorry I ever listened to a single thing that came out of that poisonous woman's mouth. I let her have free reign on the castle! She had a garden! Ohhh, I should have built a real dungeon, a really terrible one, just for her, that witch!"

Melog licks Glimmer's face and nuzzles her cheek. No one, no one but Adora that is, has ever defended Catra so fiercely before. More tears come, she can't stop them. Doesn't want to. These are good tears. Her tail flicks and she embraces Glimmer around her belted waist, "I'm really glad you're my friend, Queen Sparkles."

"Me too." Glimmer finally let's her go, and Catra can breathe again. Melog helps Catra up from the ground while Glimmer rights the fallen chair behind her.

Catra smoothes down the shaggy hair at the back of her neck, "Anyway, uh, having a mom sounds really nice. I - I just wish there was something I could do to bring yours back."

"WHY CAN'T WE?" Entrapta's too loud voice behind her makes Catra cry out and leap onto the table on all fours, all of her hairs sticking out. Melog's mane shifts to red and they hiss from beside Glimmer. Entrapta sits before them on a stool of her own bright purple hair, other tendrils already splitting off to type faster than Catra really thinks should be possible on that insufferable tablet of hers. 

"Stop scaring me!"

"Oh, sorry! Yeah someone mentioned something about 'announcing myself' but I'm still working on that one, hahaha! What you said about Shadow Weaver was awful; no wonder you did all those horrible things!"

Catra's face burns knowing Entrapta has heard. Has anyone else? God forbid, has Adora? Catra scans around her. But Adora is, predictably, perusing the hors d’oeuvres. She hops down from the table to stroke Melog's mane soothingly and they nuzzle their cheek into her palm. It doesn't matter. She thinks at herself forcefully. It was the truth, and it's over. She's gone now, the confusing bitch. I am not ashamed.

"Wait!" Glimmer says, blessedly distracting Entrapta from that vein. The room quiets. Glimmer has caught the attention of the others and they begin to shuffle closer around them. Bow, awake for a while apparently, has come to stand behind Glimmer, his hands placed protectively over her shoulders. One of her hands rises to grip his, "What did you mean, 'Why can't we?' 'Why can't we' what?"

"Bring back Queen Angella of course! By my calculations-- Catra's attention fades as Entrapta goes on and on: something something portals, space time, fabric of space, shadow dimensions...bubbles?

"Entrapta!" Catra interrupts her. "Space space, yada yada. No one understands what you mean, but it doesn't matter because Queen Angella is..."

"What's going on?" Catra is grateful for Adora's interruption, grateful to feel Adora's hand slide around her waist and to lean into the steady sureness of her in this moment. She doesn't know if she can take seeing the hope in Glimmer's eyes dashed out. 

"Dead? Hi, Adora!" Entrapta waves enthusiastically, "Not dead! Trapped! In an interdimensional bubble of space time!!" her voice rises sharply and her eyes shine as she contemplates the unknown. 

Catra feels Adora tense at her side, can almost taste her sudden excitement. "And we can get to her?" 

Glimmer looks shell shocked and turns to face Bow, "We have to tell my dad! We can get her back!"

"It will not be quite so simple as that," Hordak rumbles as he comes to stand between Catra and Entrapta, who grins up at him before turning to scribble furiously on a notepad.

The other princesses, and Sea Hawk, have circled around them. Scorpia, holding the still sleeping Frosta in her arms, furrows her brows. "Waaait, I'm confused. Wasn't that whole reality gobbled up by that unstable portal thingy? Why didn't she come through with the rest of us again?"

Perfuma lays her hand over Scorpia's pincer and leads her aside to fill her in. Catra's sensitive ears hear the words "immortal queen" and "stayed behind to save us all".

So I didn't kill her, I just trapped her far away from her family. Even better. Catra wraps her tail apprehensively around herself and studies the floor. Adora's fingers squeeze around her hip. Her ear twitches, tickled by Adora's breath as she quickly presses her lips to Catra's temple before striding to stand before Hordak.

"Then make it simple." Her voice has an edge of steel in it. Forgiving Hordak has not come easily for Adora. Not for any of them really, even if second chances are something of their specialty. She tolerates him for Entrapta's sake. Decades of brutal war are not so easy to clear from the slate. 

Hordak clears his throat as all eyes turn to him, "Queen Angella is not trapped in any mere shadow dimension, nor even a splintered reality. To be extremely simplistic, an interdimensional portal is like a tunnel, a tunnel connecting two separate pages of spacetime. When one travels between dimensions, this "tunnel" is created and, ideally, ceases to exist once it is no longer in use. Portals use incredible power to bend the fabric of spacetime. It is dangerous to sustain them for any longer than necessary. They become unstable."

Behind Glimmer, Bow shakes his head, "Glimmer's mom is trapped in that tunnel, isn't she? Trapped between realities."

"Exactly," Hordak says. "The portal cannot fully close with her inside. Instead it becomes a feedback loop, siphoning energy from both realities at once to maintain itself. Accessing it without setting off this unstable energy, with catastrophic results, would have to be a... delicate undertaking to say the least."

"Greeeeat," Mermista groans from the opposite side of the table and rolls her eyes. "Another universe destroying ball of energy for us to go poke at. Couldn't have predicted that."

"Isn't it so exciting," Entrapta whispers, emerging from her face shield and clutching her hands together like it's the most romantic thing she's ever heard. Mermista massages her temples and sighs. 

"Think of the adventure, my love!" Sea Hawk leaps onto the table, "Nothing the best friend squad cannot overcome! Ohhhhhhhh," he begins to sing, but Mermista shoves him to the floor. "Ugh, read the room, dumbass." He pouts up at her adoringly. 

"Is it possible?" Glimmer's voice is deadly serious and Catra sees the firm set to her mouth, more determined than she's ever seen it. 

Hordak pauses, then nods. Tears spring into Glimmer's eyes.

"Then we have to try," Adora says, turning to meet Catra's own hopeful gaze. "We don't leave people behind." Catra feels tears of her own and vaguely hears Entrapta squealing in delight, Scorpia and Perfuma's simultaneous "Hurray!", Frosta's snore of protest at being jostled. These people have turned me soft, Catra thinks. Adora takes her hand and smiles hopefully and Catra's heart squeezes in her chest. I think that might be a good thing. 

The team agrees to start preparations in the morning and they begin to shuffle off to their respective sleeping arrangements. Glimmer, visibly drained by the ordeal, refuses to wait even a moment longer to inform her father of all they've learned. Adora and Bow, exchanging a worried glance, insist on accompanying her. Catra is too exhausted to follow and makes her excuses. Glimmer stops to draw her into another hug and whispers, "Thank you." Catra doesn't know what for, but squeezes her friend around the shoulders anyway. Adora plants a kiss on her cheek, which still makes Catra flush and her ears flick, and promises to join her soon. 

Catra pads through the halls of Brightmoon towards Adora's room, their room. They have shared sleeping quarters their whole lives, shared a bed for much of that time. Something Catra always wrote off to Adora and, for as long as she could, herself as a need to share body heat when the thin blankets issued standard by the Horde wouldn't cut it. 

But this is different. For one, it's just the two of them. Before everything they'd always shared barracks with all the other cadets in their squadron. Once Catra was promoted to Force Captain, she was issued her own private quarters. She never really learned to sleep in there. Too cold, too quiet without the soft sounds of Adora's breathing. The constant reminder of Adora's absence, and the throb of pain at the raw edges of the wound it caused would fill Catra with a gnawing black hole of rage and she'd sneak outside and tear from balcony to balcony until she was so exhausted she'd pass out the moment she stopped moving. They shared a bed again on Darla, after their escape from Prime's ship. But that was out of necessity too since Glimmer and Bow were making out in the room they'd shared with Adora and she'd wanted to give them privacy. Though in hindsight Catra is beginning to wonder if maybe Adora just wanted to stay with her as much as Catra wanted her to stay. She shakes her head in amazement. She loves me. Crazy.

Catra remembers sleeping next to Adora again for the first time in years. She pretended to be asleep until she was sure Adora was, then just stared, tracing the planes of Adora's face with her excellent eyesight. Just breathed in her scent, which had faded long ago from the cot they used to share, and felt her hands shake with the effort it took not to touch her. 

She can touch her now. And she does, at every opportunity.

Catra doesn't initiate PDA though, unless poking Adora in the forehead, calling her an idiot, or wrestling her to the ground counts. Melog is demonstrative enough for both of them. Sure, she's getting used to hugs now, even starting to enjoy them. Adora touches Catra all the time, touches her waist, thumbs at the fur of her ears, kisses on her cheeks. Catra loves it, takes the ribbing and knowing looks from Bow, Glimmer, and literally everyone else surprisingly well. But something about kissing Adora's lips, holding her, nuzzling at her face and neck feels so intimate and so private. Too precious for the eyes and smirks of others. Those moments belong to them and them alone. 

Finally, Catra turns into a corridor and recognizes the murals that frame their gratuitously large bedroom door. She pushes it open and hears the cool wash of the waterfall, something she finds soothing, even if it makes it all too easy for Adora to torture her by flicking water in her direction. 

The room is dim but Catra doesn't need the light. Her eyes trace the form of Melog, already curled at the foot of their brand new, much larger bed. Their eyes blink open and they hum contentedly. 

"You are feeling better?"

"Something like that, I guess." Catra quickly strips, leaving a pile of her nice party clothes on the floor, and drops onto the bed beside them. She rests her head on their haunches, her eyes falling shut. 

"You feel conflicted."

Catra's ears twitch. There was a time she would have thought nothing could be more violating than a magical alien who could see into her deepest emotions. But she is desperately grateful for them now. Grateful to have someone who can read her, even when she can't read herself.

"I hope we find Queen Angella. Glimmer deserves to have her family together." She cards her fingers through the fur at the base of Melog's tail. They begin to purr and it rumbles through her as well.

Melog doesn't speak, doesn't push. You'd think a being finally released from endless isolation would never shut up, but Melog is subtler than that. 

Catra sighs. "It's one thing for Glimmer to forgive me for this, and for everything else. I hurt them all, but I didn't end their lives. I didn't exile them to - to..."

"An eternity alone?"

Catra flinches. Then nods. "Queen Angella would be completely justified to throw me out on my ass, get me as far from her family as possible."

"Why speculate about something that has not happened, and causes you pain? Surely it is a relief to have the chance to right a wrong. Surely Angella's relief to be free will outweigh all else."

Catra feels the ghost of remembered loneliness through their connection, the echoes of the first words they ever spoke to her, I have been alone a very long time. Remembers their near immediate willingness to trust her, of all people. 

"Loneliness has a way of opening the heart. Besides, your friends will be by your side. And so will I."

Catra cannot speak, but she knows Melog feels her understand, feels her gratitude. She buries her face in their side. 

"There is something else."

Catra thinks about mothers. About families. Adora is her family. Scorpia and Entrapta the closest thing after. But why...

"Why do I miss her?" Catra's voice is small and weak. "Why does it hurt that she's gone?" 

"The sorceress?"

Catra slams her eyes shut against the image of Shadow Weaver's face, right before she went up in flames. The first time Catra had seen it since that awful day in the Black Garnet chamber when they were children. 

I'm so proud of you, Catra. 

You're welcome. 

Catra wants to rip something to pieces. Smash the mirrors and scream until her throat is raw. She feels Melog's rough tongue at her scalp and clings to the feeling as a sob rises in her chest. 

"I have not shared this world with your people for long. But I see the love that holds your kind together is strong." Catra knows this already. She remembers her vision of her and Adora as children on Prime's ship, I will always be your friend. Finally admitting to herself that she had never, could never stop loving Adora and to pretend otherwise any longer would kill her was the push she needed. Her grudging respect and, when she could admit it in hindsight, true fondness that had grown for Glimmer while they were stranded together, lightyears from the only home they had ever known, was not enough. But Adora...

Melog must sense the vein of her thoughts, "Not every love is as pure as the one you share with your Adora."

Catra blinks and furrows her brows, not catching their meaning. Then it dawns on her. 

"I did NOT love Shadow Weaver," Catra hisses. "She certainly never loved us. All that witch ever did was mess with my head and tear me down."

But Catra remembers how she felt in Shadow Weavers cell in the Fright Zone, when her manacled hand stroked the hair below Catra's ear. Her chest aches with remembered hope that maybe, just maybe, Shadow Weaver would fight to stay with her, help her to "go farther than she ever did." Remembers the crushing pain and anguish when she realized Shadow Weaver had just been manipulating her. Again. That, once again, she was nothing more than a means to an end. 

And I fell for it. I should've known, but I didn't.

"I am so stupid."

Melog's tail lashes against her side, "I think you know that is not the truth. We cannot choose whom we love."

Catra can't argue with that.

The sound of Adora softly clicking the door shut behind her rouses Catra instantly. She must've fallen asleep. Melog has disappeared, but the covers beside her are still warm. Must think we'll need privacy, Catra thinks, flushing as her heart kicks the inside of her rib cage at the suggestion. 

She shuffles from her stomach to her side, facing Adora and watching as she steps out of her crimson red party dress, pulls her hair down from it's ponytail, and stands beside the bed in her standard white and gray matching sports bra and boy shorts. 

"Heeeey Adora," she whispers, and her voice is huskier than she'd intended it to be. Oh well, she thinks to herself and bites her lip.

But Adora doesn't answer. Just studies Catra with an expression she can't place, something raw, and tender, and heart wrenching, then slides into bed beside her without breaking their gaze. She gathers Catra against her, enclosing her in her strong arms and surrounding her in the strong scent of her loosened hair. She wordlessly presses her lips to Catra's scalp, inhales deeply. 

Catra doesn't understand what is happening, and then she does. Her eyes narrow. 

"Sparkles told you."

"Please don't be mad."

Catra knows she should be, probably would be under any other circumstances. Instead she shakes her head against Adora's shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm not," she whispers. 

"I should have seen it. I should have fought harder for you."

"Adora- Don't. We were kids. It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does." Catra feels Adora's breath hitch against the hair at her temple. 

"It wasn't your fault. I - I... hid it from you. I didn't want you to know."

Adora pulls back to meet her eyes, her eyes wide. "Catra, why?"

Catra can't bear to look Adora in the face. Her eyes screw tightly shut again, "Because I thought it was my fault for not being good enough, okay?" the words tear raggedly from her throat. 

Adora's silence is thick with shock. Then she takes Catra's face firmly in her hands, forces Catra to look at her. 

"You are one thousand times more than enough," she whispers fiercely. "And you always have been. Catra, you're... you're everything to me."

Catra weasels her hand out from where it has been trapped against Adora, grabs the back of her head and yanks her into a searing kiss. Adora gasps against her mouth and Catra swears she catches fire. She grasps the hair close to Adora's scalp and tugs while she plunders her mouth with her tongue, drinking in Adora's groans. How did I ever live without this? Without her?

She slots her thigh between Adora legs, pressing herself solidly against the heat of her. Their bodies are flush, but it isn't enough, never enough. I want to swallow her whole.

The fabric of their underclothes between them is unbearable. They tug at each other's clothes awkwardly, refusing to break the kiss. Finally, Catra can't take it anymore and tears Adora's sports bra away with her claws, shredding the fabric.

Adora will object to this in the morning, but for now only wimpers, sounding just as desperate as Catra feels. She breaks free from Adora's mouth to attack the soft creamy flesh of her neck while Adora shoves Catra's clothes away. Catra's sharp teeth graze the point of her pulse, where the smell of her is strongest, and she feels wild, feral. 

They are all fumbling hands and mouths and teeth. Catra has known Adora's body as well as her own for as long as she can remember, sparred with her every day, knows Adora's strengths and her weaknesses better than she knows her own name. 

This is so very different. Straining towards instead of against, like if they could just get close enough they would fuse chest to chest and never have to be apart again. 

Their bodies, their hands move in sync, settling into some primal rhythm their bodies know even if they don't. Catra drinks in every sound, every touch, every scent. Together, they chase a warmth bright enough to burn away Catra's darkness.

After, Catra lays half on top of Adora, her face nestled against Adora's neck. She's never felt more comfortable, with her arm draped across Adora's bare chest, feeling the rise and fall of her soft breaths. Relaxed, finally. Adora's arm cradles her and she idly cards through the soft hair at the base of Catra's skull.

Adora hums, Catra feels the vibration against her face. A loud purr starts in her chest, one she can't help. 

Adora giggles a little, shifting to place a kiss on Catra's cheek. "It's like you like me or something." She teases, mouthing it against Catra's skin. It tickles and her ear twitches in response. 

Adora shifts a bit so she can see Catra's face, gently illuminated by the moons whose light filters through the canopy hanging above them. She smiles softly, bites at her lip. 

"You're so beautiful. I always knew that," she whispers, and trails her hand from Catra's hip up the side of her back, lifting it to smooth the hair at the back of her neck. 

Catra flushes, warm all over. She can barely meet Adora's eyes. She believes her though. Her voice sounds like truth.

Catra always knew Adora's was the beautiful one, the one everyone knew was pretty. But she always had enjoyed her own mismatched eyes, shining against the frame of her dark, thick hair. She remembers the weight of it. How it shifted against her back when she moved and jumped. She'd worn the mask to keep it out of her eyes, enjoying the warm tones the red brought out in her skin. But she didn't need it anymore. Her hair laid close to her skull, months since it had been shorn and still barely as long as the fingers Adora strokes through it. 

She pouts against Adora's skin. It's been a long day. Catra is tired. That's got to be why tears gather in her eyes and her shoulders hunch under Adora's arm. Why her chest stills and the air feels empty without the rumble reverberating from her chest to fill it. 

Adora's other hand comes up to stroke her cheek, her eyes searching. 

"Catra, what's wrong?"

Catra's breath hitches in her chest. Her face falls, crumples. She tells her the truth. 

"I miss my hair," she sobs the last word. 

"Oh, baby." Adora strokes her face, kisses her temples, her cheeks. "It's okay. It's going to come back."

Catra laughs a little, "Take that, Prime," she says. "Ugh," rolling her eyes, "I feel so silly about it."

Adora laughs and the sound of it makes Catra smile. 

"You're not being silly. Your hair has always been so beautiful." She brushes away a short lock at Catra's temple, "It still is. But you're right. I miss it too."

She's quiet for a second, "maybe you could even try a ponytail when it's long agan. You know, keep it out of your face and all."

Catra sits up, snorting and pushes Adora's face away with the flat of her hand.

"Ha ha, yeah right. Next you're gonna put me in a fricken hair poof."

"Oh, I would never!" Adora says with exaggerated sincerity. "I'll just ask Scorbia to draw it for me instead."

"Oh, absolutely not," Catra says, smooshing one of the endless pillows lying around them into Adora's face. Adora smooshes her right back. They giggle together late into the night. 

In Catra's dream she feels the weight of a thick ponytail swinging behind her. Feels the length of it against her neck. She sleeps better than she has in a while.


End file.
